University of Minnesota-Rochester

group's charge was to formulate a plan to advance higher education in the Rochester area.
The RHEDC eventually identified the need for a branch campus of the University of Minnesota system that could integrate with the health sciences programs and needs of the Mayo Clinic. The RHEDC report was drafted and delivered to the legislature and the governor. The recommendations of the report were adopted by the governor, the legislature, and the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. Controversially, this establishment represented a change in collegiate policy by establishing an additional University of Minnesota branch campus in spite of the prior policy that stated it was the role of the Minnesota State system to provide programming for Greater Minnesota.
In 2006, the University of Minnesota Rochester was approved as a branch campus by the Board of Regents, and shortly after, selection of existing space in the former downtown mall allowed for the future siting of the campus. Staff were appointed to start the health …